COAL CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1920, Page 5

COAL CONFERENCE.

EXPECTED TO FINISH THIS WEEK.»

Tho conference arranged by the Prime Minister for the discussion of the coal dispute has now eat on seven days, soma of the meetings extending into the evenings, and Mr. Massey has occupied the chair all the time, except when committees were dealing with special points icferrcd to them by the conference, or when the parties had separated for pti' vate discussion.

Mr. Massey stated on Tuesday that lie thought the conference would finish th,js week. He hoped that the outcome woUld be satisfactory. HOPEFUL WORDS. :; Christeliureh', Feb. 17, "I am extremely hopeful that as ike result of the conference now Bitting In Wellington agreements will be arrivM at that will be acceptable to both pfftf* ties," stated Mr. William Reeee <pWst< dent of the New Zealand Mine.Owners' Association) this afternoon, Mr. Reeto had to leave the conference yesterday on account of pressing business. He Stated that the representatives of the Misers' Union had discussed the various points at issue without any ill feeling.- Tie Prime Minister had handled the confer. ence with considerable tact and infinite patience, and had given six days to os< sist the parties in arriving at an accept-* able agreement- . '

THE POSITION REVIEWED.

BY COAL-OWNERS' EXECUTIVE:

Tho executive of the New Zealand Coal Mine-Owners' Association met i( Wellington on Wednesday, and decided to issue the following statement with re( gard to tho present position in conned tion with tho deadlock in the coal mines:—

It will be remembered that a lengthf conference was held in August last, wneir the coal mine-owners, although they could not agree to consider a Dominion* agreement, owing to the varying condi-» tions in the different mines, offered td meet the individual unions to deal with,' the locrl conditions of work, and offered a further bonus of 10 per cent, to contract workers and 15 per cent, to wage*) men, making, in all, total increases dun ing the war period of 35 per cent, to contract workers and 45 per cent, to wages men. 150.00Q TONS LOST BY GO STj6W. : The employers' offer was rejected btf the federation, which apparently then handed the whole of its interests and the interests of its members over to the Alliance of Labor, as since that time whenover overtures have been made by this association to the Miners' Federation with the purpose of arranging for conferences with the Miners' Unions, this association has been referred to the Alliance of Labor. While the Coal, MineOwners' Association is prepared to nego* tiate Avith the Miners' Federation to »r» range for conferences with local unions, it definitely declines to recognise any outside body as one with which nefco* tiations should be carried on.

Following tho Miners' Federation rejection of the coal mine-owners' offer, tho "go-slow" policy was decided upon by the federation, and has been in. operation for a period of five months, iho results of the operation of that system are that the reduction in the output has amounted to at least 150,000 tons in that period, and that the minero have voluntarily reduced their earnings from.an average of approximately 22a per day] to about las per day. •■

15s. A DAY AS AGAINST 255, That being the case, it is evident thatf not only have the public suffered very considerably as the result of the shortage in the, coal supply, in that not only; have the people had difficulty in securing supplies, but they have had to pay Ugh prices which would not have been necessary if the normal output had been maintained, but the fact that earnings have been restricted to 15s per day for such a lengthened period apparently ia-' ;>lies that this amount is a living wage, and that the offer of the' employers] which would enable an average of 25a {wri day to be earned is a more than libera one. With regard to the present earning* of: miners, as referred to Mr. Arbucltlei in the Press recently, it hai to be said that the coal mine-owners cannot accept any responsibility therefor -while the "goalow" policy is in operation. WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN. ' As indicating the rates of pay which would have been earned since August last if the mine-owners' offer had been accepted, the following extract from in- ■ formation given to the conference by Mr. T. O. Bishop (acting-under-secretary of tho Mines Department) is quoted:— Miners' average 25s per day, Truckers and horse-drivers, 15s 2d per shift. Men in charge of roue road, 15s 2d net shift. " • • • Tippers and Lamp Trimmers, 15s 6d per shift. Carpenters and Blacksmiths, 16b 6d per shift. ' Yardmen, outside workers, and tool sharpeners, 15s per shift. ' Thus, if nine Bhifts per fortnight ire worked, «3 stated by Mr. Arbuckle, miners would have been earning £ll 5s per fortnight (or £5 12s fld per waek) shiftworkers from £6 10s Bd per fortnight (or £3 5s 3d per week) to £7 7« Od pel; fortnight (or £3 13s IOJd per week). U, however, the full time available- (11 shifts per fortnight) were worked |h»above earnings would be proportionated ly increased.

THOUSANDS OP POUNDS OF ■ WAGES LOST. The actual position, therefore, is that the have been prepared" it any time since the conference to pay tho increased rates immediately normal operations were resumed, and to meet their own unions a3 hitherto, to discuss conditions of work as applicable to each individual mine. Instead of accepting th» mine-owners' offer, the federation has caused the miners to earn thousands of pounds less in wages than they could have earned, and by its action has ser> iousjy hampered the industries of tho .cpwntry, and, besides causing a shortage in domestic supplies, haa compelled tho general public to pay higher prices for